The Madman's Daughter

January 14, 2013
Drawing liberally from The Island of Dr. Moreau, Shepherd debuts with a dark novel, the first in a planned trilogy, which explores many of the themes of the Wells book, including the ethics of scientific experimentation, progress, and civilization. Several characters have parallels in the original—Moreau, the disgraced physiologist; his assistant, Montgomery; and a rescued castaway named Edward. Assuming the role of narrator is 16-year-old Juliet Moreau, who has eked out a living in London following her father’s downfall and mother’s death. When Juliet learns her father is possibly alive, she sets off for the island he escaped to, along with Montgomery, who is recast as a dashing former childhood friend of Juliet’s. At times, the horrors of Moreau’s experimentations take a backseat to the romantic passions that engulf Juliet (“Being so close to a half-naked man—to Montgomery—made me breathless”), as her affections vacillate between Montgomery and the mysterious Edward. Nonetheless, Shepherd’s atmospheric interpretation ought to pull readers in, with unexpected twists and a cliffhanger ending that should leave them craving more. Ages 13–up. Agent: Josh Adams and Quinlan Lee, Adams Literary.

Starred review from February 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Based on H.G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau and told from the point of view of the mad doctor's 16-year-old daughter, this dark novel blends the basic premise of the original with new insights, characters, and terror. Dr. Moreau fled London to escape scandal and possible arrest, leaving his wife and daughter destitute. When her mother dies, Juliet has just enough money to survive until she is fired from her hospital cleaning job for rebuffing the advances of one of the doctors. She runs into her old friend and her father's assistant, Montgomery, and convinces him to take her to her father's island. The perilous trip on a pirate ship and the rescue of Edward, a castaway, ends with a very cold welcome from her father, who grudgingly allows her to stay. Over time, Juliet realizes that everything she has heard about him creating strange semi-human creatures is true. The teen must face dangers, uncover the secrets behind her origin, and unravel her feelings about Moreau's experiments. The fast-paced book is rife with excitement, romance, and intrigue. Juliet is both a strong heroine who can take charge and a young woman who is beset by doubts and rash acts. Dr. Moreau is thoroughly detestable and Montgomery and Edward are handsome, flawed, and mysterious. The surprising ending is satisfying. While knowledge of Wells's novel would perhaps lead to a more satisfying reading experience, this title stands alone.-Janet Hilbun, Texas Women's University, Denton, TX

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2012
H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau, as seen through the eyes of the doctor's daughter. Abandoned by her father and mourning the death of her mother, tough yet prissy Juliet Moreau lives in near-poverty working as a medical school scullery maid in Victorian-era London. When she learns that her father inhabits an island far, far away, where he performs horrific experiments on animals via vivisection, Juliet makes her way there along with Montgomery, her father's assistant, and Edward Prince, a castaway they meet along the way. Naturally, sparks fly among Juliet and the gents, but danger lurks on the island in the form of humanlike creatures--some more ridiculously rendered than others--built from the body parts of animals, the results of Dr. Moreau's experiments. Shepherd takes several liberties in her interpretation of Wells' work, including the insertion of Juliet and the naming of Moreau's creations using Shakespearean characters. The plot moves quickly; in some instances it goes too fast, especially during the voyage from London to the island, when accelerated action forces readers into mental gymnastics. Shepherd excels at worldbuilding in the historical London setting but has trouble fully realizing the landscape of the island. While the chemistry between Juliet and Montgomery spikes instantaneously and believably, the attraction between Prince and Juliet feels more contrived. An unessential but entertaining interpretation. (Science fiction. 13 & up)

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October 15, 2012
Grades 9-12 The advantage this series starter has over monster reboots like Kenneth Oppel's This Dark Endeavor (2011) is that teens aren't as familiar with the story of Dr. Moreau, and so the ungodly plot developments may yet surprise. Shepherd follows H. G. Wells closely but from the perspective of the good doctor's 16-year-old daughter, Juliet. Six years after her father's banishment from London following outrageous medical experimentation, she joins him on an isolated island where he continues to tinker with the combination of human and animal genes. Beneath Dr. Moreau's fancified insanity and the unsavory medical specifics (the two best elements of the novel), this is a romantic-triangle book first and foremost, as Juliet trembles, blushes, and heaves her bosom at both Moreau's hunky assistant and a dashing castaway. However, Shepherd distinguishes herself from her paranormal romance contemporaries by eschewing purple prose and focusing on sympathetic side characters (the dog-bear hybrid servant Balthasar) and fascinating dilemmas (the budding religious awareness of the creatures). Anyone who doesn't pick up the next volume is mad! Mad, I tell you! HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Nearly every publisher wanted this book and no wonderit's already sold in six countries and been optioned by Paramount Pictures.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
Juliet Moreau leaves Victorian London to reunite with her estranged father on an island, where she's drawn to Montgomery, her father's assistant, and Edward, a mysterious castaway. As the dangers of the bestial creatures her father creates grow more threatening, Juliet confronts horrifying truths. Shepherd sticks fairly close to Wells's Island of Dr. Moreau but furthers her story's appeal with sweeping romance.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)